The Heart's Possession
by paddle-without-boat
Summary: Watari, Tsuzuki, and Hisoka find themselves pitted against a powerful demon. But what happens when the demon targets Tatsumi? Tatari, Tsusoka. Sequel to 'Be Thy Noble.'
1. Chapter 1

Here it is, the much-anticipated sequel to my hit fic Be Thy Noble. I can't tell yet whether this fic is going to be really long or just long. I've written a couple of chapters already, but I'm just posting one at a time to pace myself. I'm hoping I can reduce the stress factor this way. I have a good feeling about this fic, though. I've been enjoying writing it since the first sentence, so hopefully my enthusiasm shows in the quality. As always, updates will take no longer than a week per chapter. I hope you guys enjoy the fic. Let me know what you think!

****

Chapter 1

"It is not!" Tsuzuki whined, blinking his large puppy eyes.

"It is so."

"Noooo, it's not!" he argued.

Tatsumi gave him a chilly look.

"Tsuzuki-san, if you continue to insist that you did not go over budget..."

"But I didn't! I swear, you gave me 5,000 extra yen! Don't you remember?"

The Kagetsukai glared at his former partner, long tired of that game.

"If that is true, then you won't mind my taking 5,000 out of your next budget allowance."

Tsuzuki paled, his jaw hanging open. He shook his head faintly, as if in denial.

"B-but...but..."

The older man silently took the budget report from the other man, tucking it neatly underneath his arm. He took one last glance at Tsuzuki, then walked swiftly back into his office. The violet-eyed man stood desolately in front of the door, sulking.

"You're so mean!" he told the door, sticking his tongue out. He kicked the tile floor lightly, not yet willing to go back to "working."

"He may be getting laid now, but he's still the same Tatsumi we all know and fear."

Tsuzuki jumped slightly, whirling around to face the owner of the lilting voice. Watari leaned against the wall, grinning. He tipped an imaginary hat to his friend and winked.

"Can't you do anything to persuade him?" Tsuzuki asked hopefully.

The blonde shook his head.

"Sorry, but even I don't have any influence when it comes to the budget. He still threatens to cut my funding if stuff keeps blowing up." He fished around in his coat pocket, pulling out a small bag and handing it to the other man.

"Here. This might make you feel a little better," he said.

Tsuzuki cautiously opened the plain white bag, his eyes widening joyfully as he pulled out a small pastry.

"I'd love to talk more," he said as he stuffed it into his mouth, "but I should get back to work."

"Uh huh," Watari replied knowingly. Ever since Tsuzuki had confessed his feelings to Hisoka a month earlier, the older Shinigami was rarely found away from the boy's side. The best part of it, Watari thought, was seeing Hisoka's blush every time his violet-eyed partner brushed against him. He smiled at the image, watching his friend bounce down the hallway. He turned his attention to the door in front of him. Pulling a crumpled paper out of his pocket, he opened the door, not bothering to knock.

Tatsumi sat at his desk, glaring.

"Does no one knock anymore?"

Watari grinned, taking a seat.

"I hardly think you need privacy around me, Seii. I brought my budget report," he said, handing the paper to the other man. The Kagetsukai took it reluctantly, raising an eyebrow as his eyes scanned over it.

"...Why are there bunnies drawn in the margins?" he asked, silently counting to ten. He looked expectantly at his partner, only to receive a shrug in reply.

"Um, I dunno. But aren't they cute bunnies? See, that one is munching on some grass, while the other reclines in the hot springs..."

"I get the point," he replied curtly, smoothing out the paper and setting it aside.

"Anything else before I kick you out of my office?"

The blonde smiled.

"Just curious whether we're going to my place or yours tonight."

Tatsumi sighed, adjusting his glasses.

"My place, as always. I'd rather not walk into that disaster you call an apartment again," he grumbled.

Watari nodded, standing up. He leaned over, risking a quick kiss on his lover's cheek before rushing out like a whirlwind. The secretary stared at the door wistfully for a moment. His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden pain in his head. 'This...can't be a normal headache,' he realized as the shadows in the room jumped violently. He shook his head, trying to ward off the pain. Preparing to stand, he noticed with a shock that his hands were bound to the chair by shadows. He tried to order them away, but failed.

"Stop fighting it," a disembodied voice hissed softly. A large, vaguely human-shaped shadow formed beside him, edging slowly closer. Tatsumi felt panic rise inside him as the figure grew nearer. Still struggling, he was overtaken by the shadow and fell into unconsciousness.

* * *

"Mou...this is so boring!" Tsuzuki whined, laying his head on the break room table. Beside him, Watari nodded his agreement.

"Too true. Who would've thought that you'd want Tatsumi to come yell at you?" he mused, poking his friend.

"Anything beats this boredom," the older Shinigami grumbled. "Is he sick or something? I haven't done anything all day and he still hasn't come out to kill me!"

Watari smiled.

"Hey, you think _you're_ worried? I blew up two things today, after all. Maybe he _is_ sick... He did seem a bit pale when I left him earlier."

"Watari, what did you do to him?!" Tsuzuki cried, jumping up. "Can't you keep your hormones in check at work? This place will fall apart if you wear him out!"

The blonde glared, sticking out his tongue.

"Get a grip, you spaz. I didn't do anything to him...today. Sheesh. I just gave him my budget report and left."

The brown-haired man visibly wilted, falling back into his chair with a thud.

"Oh. Maybe...maybe someone should go check on him? I wonder if Hisoka would do it? He's the only one Tatsumi-san doesn't yell at all the time..."

"Hisoka's doing your paperwork again, you idiot. Plus, I'm not the one dating him!" a voice grumbled from the other side of the door.

Watari sighed, standing.

"Damn it, Bon's right. All right, I'll go. But if I'm not back in five minutes, I'm either dead or having my naughty way with him."

"Eww. In that case, don't expect anyone to come check on you," Tsuzuki groaned.

* * *

Watari walked down the hallway toward the secretary's office, absently running his hand across the wall. 'This is kinda strange... If he's sick, I'm not letting him work himself to death! I'll drag him home if I have to,' he decided. With that determination, he marched into Tatsumi's office, careful not to bang the door against the wall. The chair, which was facing the window, slowly swiveled around until the Kagetsukai's eyes met Watari's.

"What can I do for you?" he said languidly.

The blonde blinked, his resolve faltering at the intensity of the gaze he received.

"We, uh...we wondered if you're sick," he said. "You've been holed up in here all day!"

The Kagetsukai smirked slightly.

"Sick? Not at all. I've simply been catching up on some work. Between Tsuzuki-san's stupidity and your laziness, there's a backlog."

Watari frowned, slightly hurt by the tone of the statement.

"Well...I'll see you tonight then..."

"Actually, I would prefer to be left alone tonight," Tatsumi said.

The scientist's shoulders stiffened.

"Fine. I'll go tell the others that you're okay, then," he replied with fake cheerfulness. Closing the door softly behind him, the blonde rubbed his eyes. He walked slowly back to the break room, only to meet Tsuzuki in the doorway.

"Is he okay?"

Watari stared at his friend, a slightly haunted look on his face.

"He says he's fine. But Tsuzuki...there aren't any shadows in the room."

The violet-eyed man gasped.

"Huh? Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure. At first, I thought I was seeing things, but the shadows are gone. And Tatsumi...he's..."

"He's what?!"

The scientist smiled weakly, shaking his head.

"He's fine, Tsuzuki. He's just busy with our paperwork," he lied.

The man in the doorway hesitated, obviously not convinced.

"Well...if you say he's okay..."

The blonde nodded reassuringly, patting his friend on the shoulder.

"I think I'm gonna go play around in the lab," he announced, relishing in the look of fear that passed over Tsuzuki's face.

* * *

"I really hope I'm wrong," Watari mumbled to himself, practically diving into the computer chair in his lab. 003 came to perch on his shoulder, hooting softly in response to his obvious distress. He hurriedly perused the computer database, biting his lip until it nearly bled. 'Shit...not finding anything. Why do Kagetsukai's have to be so fucking rare? Gah, this is getting me nowhere. Maybe I'm just being paranoid? Uh no, Watari, shadows just don't disappear for no good reason. And maybe he's just in one of his moods, but Seii certainly was curt with me back there. It's too suspicious to let go...' He had decided not to share his suspicions with Tsuzuki, given the man's overly-emotional nature. 'Besides, what could he do? It's best that I find out what the hell I'm talking about before I go sharing theories with the others! Maybe...ah! That's right, the Gushoushin might have a book that'll help.' He jumped up, forgetting about the database as he rushed to the library.

* * *

"What do you mean there's nothing like that here?!" Watari screeched. The Gushoushin brothers exchanged a nervous glance.

"As you said yourself, Watari-san, there isn't much detailed information regarding Kagetsukai," one of them bravely explained.

The scientist stood for a moment, willing his anger to dissipate. 'It won't do any good getting mad at them,' he reasoned. Still, it was tempting to wring one of their chicken necks. He rushed out of the library, not having acquired any useful information to help him formulate his theory. Stepping back into the lab, he froze. Tatsumi stood beside his computer, leaning against the desk with his arms crossed imposingly over his chest.

"Doing some research on me, 'Taka?" he said, raising an eyebrow.

Watari closed the doors nervously, not sure if he wanted a clear exit or privacy more.

"Uh, well..."

The Kagetsukai's lips curled into an emotionless smile.

"You always were too smart for your own good. Tell me then, being the master sleuth that you are, what's wrong with this picture?"

The blonde frowned deeply. 'Besides that cocky little smirk on your face, you mean?'

"...There aren't any shadows."

Tatsumi nodded once.

"And what could possibly steal a Kagetsukai's shadows?"

The scientist shifted uncomfortably, suddenly wishing he'd left the doors open.

"...A creature made of shadow."

"Bravo. Would you care to take a guess at what this means?"

Watari narrowed his eyes, wishing his suspicions had been wrong.

"It means...Tatsumi's been possessed."


	2. Chapter 2

Okay, a note: Starting from this chapter onward, the demon will be referred to by the following monikers: the demon, Tatsumi-kage (shadow Tatsumi), and sometimes the creature. This is to avoid calling him just plain Tatsumi, which would end up getting pretty confusing. Saying 'the demon' all the time would be too repetitive, so I hope it's not too lame. I had a hard time figuring out what to call him! Anyway, that's the only thing you should take note of. I hope it reduces confusion this way, since occasionally the characters will be talking about Tatsumi (not possessed). ; Plus, FF.net fucks with my formatting since they introduced that edit/preview crap. So if you see anything that doesn't make sense, let me know. Now, if any of what I just said actually made sense, onto the reviews, then the fic!

Triskell - Ah, thank you. I hope I can manage to write a dark fic well.

Fish1 - Thanks!

Kara Angitia - LOL. Glad ya like it so far, dear.

james - Even your review makes it sound suspenseful! Thank you.

Watercolor-Dragon - Well, maybe he will, maybe not. Who knows? Except me.

Schatten Wolfendorf - Just tell your classmates you forgot to take your medication that day. ; I'm glad you like the characterization so far.

****

Chapter 2

"Excellent deduction," the creature standing before him said, almost looking pleased. "I had planned to keep it secret longer, but you really are too clever for your own good. Of course, I should have known his lover of all people would figure it out first."

"What do you want with him?" Watari asked, tired of small talk.

The demon smiled.

"How powerful do you think I am, Watari Yutaka?"

The blonde rolled his eyes.

"Obviously pretty fucking powerful to control a Kagetsukai!"

He could practically see the demon's ego flare at the acknowledgement of his power.

"Will you answer my question now?" the blonde asked impatiently.

Tatsumi-kage nodded.

"I want a toy. Something to amuse me. Not to mention the fact that, using this body, I can destroy all of you. However, I always play with my food before devouring it."

Watari backed up a step.

"Why Tatsumi, then? Why not Tsuzuki?"

The demon grinned unpleasantly.

"Possessing him would result in my expulsion and eradication. No, I much prefer the Kagetsukai, considering how few of them there are. It should prove quite challenging for you to get rid of me. And I know everything about this...Tatsumi. I can see all his thoughts, his memories, his emotions. I have ample material with which to destroy all of you. And, just to make things interesting, he is aware of everything that is happening while I possess him. Our conversation right now is being witnessed by him, but he's powerless to interfere."

"Why are you telling me all of this?" the blonde demanded.

The demon tilted his head thoughtfully.

"Because every time I hurt one of you, I'll be hurting him as well. It gives me great joy, and your knowledge of his pain only adds to my fun. Remember, I know everything. All your weaknesses, all your strengths... If I so chose right now, I could slaughter you, Shinigami."

Watari watched Tatsumi carefully, looking for any sign that his lover might have some control. Finding none, he calculated the seconds it would take him to rush to the doors, open them, and try to flee. The demon's eyes bore into his own, sending a shiver down his spine.

"I would suggest thinking carefully before alerting the others to this. After all, your lover's life is in my hands," the creature said.

The scientist nodded.

"Duly noted," he said, licking his lips. "I suppose you're letting me walk out of here?"

Tatsumi-kage nodded, a glint of amusement in his now cold blue eyes.

Not wasting an opportunity, Watari fled the room.

"This should be interesting..." the demon murmured to himself.

* * *

The next morning, Watari paced his lab. 'So he's aware of everything that's happening... If I can just find a way to get him to surface. I'll have to weaken the demon to do that, though. Can't very well weaken it if I don't even know what the hell it is! So back to square one... He's definitely planning something, though. The way he was talking, he has something specific in mind. I really doubt this is all about killing us off, or he would have started already. Hmm...he said he wants amusement. If I were a demon, what would amuse me? Killing, torture, pain, suffering, fear... Shit, that doesn't sound promising.' He stopped abruptly at the sound of footsteps drawing near. Turning to face the door, he held his breath. It opened slowly, only to reveal Tsuzuki's face. Watari deflated, gripping the countertop behind him.

"Don't do that! Geez, you're liable to give me a heart attack!" he admonished.

The violet-eyed man gave him a look of confusion.

"Huh? What'd I do? Well anyway, have you seen Tatsumi-san? I need to go over something with him regarding that case 'Soka and I just finished."

Watari sighed.

"Can't it wait? He's probably in his office, but..."

"But what?"

The scientist looked away.

"Ah, he's...not feeling well. You know, pretty worn out and whatnot. I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you waited a few days to speak with him about the case."

Tsuzuki gave him a sympathetic look.

"I hope he feels better. Hey, make sure he gets some rest, okay? It's bad enough when he's in tip-top shape!"

Watari smiled.

"Sure thing. I'm sure he'll be fine, but we should let him be for now."

Tsuzuki gave a thumbs up, disappearing from the crack of the door. The blonde closed his eyes, leaning back slightly. 'Man, I hate lying to my friends...' he thought. He heard the footsteps return, and prepared to shoo Tsuzuki off once again.

"Expecting someone?" The silken voice belonged to Tatsumi, but the eyes...

The scientist shuddered, watching the man enter the lab.

"How can I help you, Demon Spawn of Hell?"

Tatsumi-kage chuckled, closing the gap between them. He reached up, cupping Watari's cheek in his hand.

"Is that any way to talk to your superior?"

Watari let out a low growl.

"Do not...touch me," he warned.

The demon tilted his head curiously.

"Oh? You don't want your lover touching you?"

The blonde took a purposeful step backward, out of the other man's reach.

"You aren't Tatsumi. If you touch me..."

"If I touch you what?" the demon dared. "You'll hurt me? Why, then you would be hurting your precious Tatsumi, wouldn't you? But please, do try."

"I'm going to destroy you," Watari said, glaring. "You'll be gone soon."

The Kagetsukai's eyebrow rose.

"As I recall, you've done quite enough damage to me already, 'Taka. Remember your little...experiment?" Tatsumi-kage said.

Watari squeezed his eyes shut momentarily.

"Don't pull that shit, it won't work. You're not him, you fool."

The demon smiled.

"Yes, but I do know his every thought, every emotion. Every ounce of pain you've caused by your carelessness."

The blonde shook his head, refusing to acknowledge the statement. 'He's making it up to fuck with my head,' he told himself firmly.

"Do you really think the past is set aside so easily?" the demon continued, whispering in his ear. "Can a man like Tatsumi really forgive and forget like that? Do you think that if it came down to a choice between you and Tsuzuki, that he would choose you?"

Watari's heart sped up and he gripped the countertop more tightly.

"You expect me to trust your word?" he growled. "You already stated that your purpose is to amuse yourself, after all."

Tatsumi-kage wrapped an arm around the scientist's slender waist, pulling Watari's body backward so that it touched his own. The demon leaned his head on the blonde's shoulder, his lips brushing the pale column of neck.

"He thinks you're incompetent, you know."

Watari tried to shrug.

"So what else is new?" he said jokingly.

He could feel the demon smile against his neck.

"How about the fact that he still loves Tsuzuki...more than he loves you?"

The blonde stiffened. He had expected such a comment, but it was hard to hear nonetheless.

"You're a liar," he whispered, trying to sound confident.

"If you think that, you're only lying to yourself," Tatsumi-kage said. He pulled away, exiting the lab without another word. Watari waited until he heard the door click shut, then let himself slide to the floor.

"Bastard," he muttered angrily, fists balled so tightly that his knuckles were white.

* * *

Hisoka frowned, staring blankly at the paperwork in front of him. 'Something isn't right...' he thought. 'I can feel it...something strange is happening.' He raised his head, watching Tsuzuki eat a cupcake.

"Did you ask Tatsumi-san about the case?" he finally asked.

The violet-eyed Shinigami looked up in surprise, frosting clinging to his lips.

"Hm? No, Watari said he's not feeling good."

The boy's frown deepened.

"Tsuzuki, I don't think-"

His words were interrupted by a knock on the door. Tatsumi peeked in.

"Tsuzuki-san, may I have a word with you?"

The man in question shoved the cupcake wrapper aside, quickly wiping his mouth. Jumping up, he cast a glance toward his partner before exiting the room. Hisoka stared at the door, his feeling of unease growing.

* * *

"You've caused me great suffering over the years," Tatsumi-kage said as he ushered the other man into his office. Tsuzuki sat down nervously.

"I'm sorry, T-"

"What are you going to do to make it up to me?" the demon interjected.

Tsuzuki lowered his head.

"A-anything you want, Tatsumi-san. I'll do paperwork, um...I'll file things!"

The demon shook his head.

"I was thinking something more...intimate than that."

The younger Shinigami froze.

"W-what? Tatsumi-san..."

Tatsumi-kage sat on the desk, facing the other man.

"I think," he said, running a finger over Tsuzuki's cheek, "that you are in no position to object."

Tsuzuki's eyes went wide and he tried to shrink away.

"Tatsumi-san! I don't...understand..."

The demon frowned.

"I know for a fact that you aren't as naïve as you pretend," he pointed out. "All these years you've made me suffer... Don't you think you owe me for it? For all the pain you've caused me?"

Tsuzuki's eyes filled with tears, not yet realizing that his co-worker wasn't himself.

"I...I'm sorry," he managed weakly.

Tatsumi-kage's expression turned dark.

"That isn't good enough," he said, leaning downward to capture Tsuzuki in a kiss.

The door creaked open, then was slammed against the wall, causing both men to jump.

"Get away from him," Hisoka growled, fighting back his anger.

The demon sighed, standing to face the boy.

"Why should it matter to you, Kurosaki-kun? After all, who could care for him more than I?"

The boy gave him a disgusted look.

"You aren't-"

"But I am. What have you ever done to deserve his affections?" the demon inquired, struggling to keep the smirk off his face. "All you can do is hurt him with your cold attitude and demeaning comments. You demand so much, yet give so little."

"Stop it!" Tsuzuki cried, putting his body between the two. "What the hell is going on?! Why are you fighting like this?"

"Tsuzuki," Hisoka said in a warning tone.

Tatsumi-kage stepped back.

"I'll leave you two to sort this out," he said. "But I will see you again soon."

He transported out of the room. Tsuzuki looked at his partner.

"What's going on? Why was Tatsumi...?"

The boy sighed, resting a hand on the man's shoulder.

"Tsuzuki, that wasn't Tatsumi-san. C'mon, let's go talk to Watari-san. I have a feeling he knows more about this than we do..."


	3. Chapter 3

Ah, okay. Some of you are going to murder me for what happens in this chapter (especially considering how the chapter ends). Heh heh. Just enjoy the suspense, since you'll find out in the next chapter what happens in this situation. I can't say anything more or I'll spoil it. It's almost comical (to me, anyway) how the demon keeps randomly popping up behind people. But bear with me, because I can't think of any other way for him to show up each time. And who all is reading this? Besides the very few who actually bother to review, I have no idea. If you enjoy it, take just a minute of your time to review and tell me so, okay? Really, just one or two words will do. But c'mon, give me some reviews if you're reading. Otherwise, I don't think you love me anymore! Really, it only takes a minute to review. And speaking of reviews:

Schatten Wolfendorf - Heh heh, I like hurt/comfort. I'm glad you liked the chapter, and thank you for being one of the few that bothered to review!

libby - Good point. Let's see...the only thing I can think of to explain that away is that Tatsumi is probably really hard to read (at least in all the fanfics I've ever read), so the demon could have used that to his advantage to be less detectable to Hisoka? Maybe.

****

Chapter 3

"You should have told us," Hisoka said firmly, glaring at Watari. The scientist looked away guiltily, nodding.

"I know, Bon. I wanted to confirm my suspicions first, though. We should inform Konoe-san immediately. I want you two to be careful, okay? Whatever it is that's possessed Seii, it's powerful. _Really_ powerful," he said.

"You should be careful, too," Tsuzuki added quietly.

Watari looked at him for a moment. He took off his glasses, wiping them with his shirt.

"The demon told me that Seii is aware of everything that's happening. He's trying to use that to hurt Seii. However, do not let any personal feelings deter you. We have to stop this demon. Right now, he's interested in having a bit of fun. We need to destroy him before he gets bored and takes us all down."

Tsuzuki stared at him in horror.

"Are you saying we should hurt Tatsumi?!"

The blonde gave him a harsh look.

"Only if necessary, Tsuzuki. But if we have to hurt him in order to get rid of the demon, then yes. I'm sure Seii will understand. Now, you two get out. I need to think."

* * *

Tsuzuki and Hisoka left the lab and walked outside in contemplative silence. The violet-eyed man kept casting glances at his partner, worried at the boy's sullen expression.

"...'Soka?"

The boy sighed, refusing to meet his concerned gaze.

"I'm fine, Tsuzuki."

He frowned, not convinced.

"If it makes you feel better, that demon's full of crap," Tsuzuki said softly.

Hisoka stopped, shrugging.

"It doesn't matter. We have to focus on the task at hand."

The older man put his hand on the boy's shoulder, leaning down. Softly, he placed a quick kiss on his partner's lips. When he pulled back, he could see the blush spreading across Hisoka's cheeks.

"I wonder if Watari-san's okay," the boy said suddenly.

Tsuzuki frowned, his own thoughts following a similar line.

"He's a strong person...I'm sure he can handle it," he said, wrapping his arm around the boy's slender shoulders.

* * *

Watari found himself walking to his lover's office and opening the door. He looked around the darkened room for a moment before flipping the light switch. He squinted against the harsh artificial light that flooded the room. Sitting down in Tatsumi's executive chair, he closed his eyes. 'I'm lonely already...' he thought solemnly. 'I'm so used to being with him every day now, it's so odd...not sleeping next to him...' He sighed, looking at the paperwork organized neatly on the desk. 'I hope Konoe-san doesn't forbid me to help exorcise this demon. I guess the others have probably told the chief about it by now. Someone will come looking for me any minute to tell me there's a meeting. I keep telling Tsuzuki and Bon to focus, but what am I doing? Sitting in Seii's office sulking.' He stood, taking a deep breath. 'It's best if they don't find me in here. That would be too pathetic.' Walking to the door, he took one last look at the office before switching off the light.

* * *

"All right, so you're telling me that Tatsumi-san has been possessed by a demon?" Konoe sighed, feeling a headache forming. "Where is he now?"

"Um...he kinda disappeared. Teleported away...we don't know where," Tsuzuki responded glumly.

"Did he say anything of significance?" the chief went on, looking at Tsuzuki and Hisoka. Seeing the bewildered looks on their faces, he turned expectantly to Watari. The scientist sighed, lowering his eyes.

"He said that Seii is aware of everything that's happening. He claims he's doing this to amuse himself," he replied quietly.

Konoe looked at the man closely. He was all too aware of Watari's relationship with the division secretary, thanks to gossips like Tsuzuki, Saya, and Yuma.

"Tsuzuki-san, Kurosaki-kun...I want you two to try and locate the demon. Do not confront him at this point, but relay any information you uncover immediately." He waited for the men to nod, then addressed Watari.

"I want you to continue investigating the nature of the demon and any possible weaknesses or strengths. Report your findings immediately as well," he ordered.

The blonde nodded quietly.

"Well then," the chief said, standing unceremoniously, "that's all for now. Get back to work!"

* * *

Watari sat in the break room, sipping stale coffee. On the table in front of him, 003 hopped around anxiously.

"What is it girl? If you're begging for coffee, you can forget it."

He watched the owl until she began to settle down, preening her feathers in boredom.

"I know how you feel, girl. I wish I had feathers to clean..." he mumbled.

"You do have that lovely golden hair of yours," a voice behind him said.

Watari spun around and stood, only to find the demon smirking at him.

"Oh, it's just you. And here I was thinking it might be someone important," he said snidely. Tatsumi-kage only smiled in response, further provoking the scientist.

"What do you want now? Unless you're just here to check out my ass. If that's the case, you're wasting your time."

The demon's eyes, no longer filled with the warmth of his lover, stared coldly at him.

"I want to hurt you," Tatsumi-kage said. "Killing all of you isn't nearly enough...I want you to suffer first. The greater you suffer, the more fun I get to have. There's nothing better than tormenting someone in front of their lover. Possessing the Kagetsukai makes it quite convenient, since I don't even have to worry about restraining him."

Watari swallowed hard, trying to formulate a quick plan of action. He didn't want to cause harm to Tatsumi's body, but he wasn't about to just stand still while the demon attacked him. 'Of all the times to be reminded how shitty my powers are,' he lamented. The demon stepped forward, forcing Watari to retreat as he struggled to come up with a plan. He didn't realize how far they had gotten until his back hit the cold wall. Startled, the blonde looked up, meeting calculating blue eyes. The demon leaned forward until their noses nearly touched.

"Because you're so special to the Kagetsukai, I'm going to go easy on you. All I'm going to do for now...is rape you."

Watari's eyes widened as he finally realized that he was trapped. With Tatsumi-kage's arms on either side of his shoulders, the only option would be to duck underneath. However, he doubted he could manage it, since the demon's chest was pressed against his own. The blonde's heart raced as he felt lips ghost over his cheek. 'Shit...this can't be happening...no way...gotta think, brainiac... Well, at least it's Seii's body and not some stranger. Then again, that makes it worse, damn it!' He tried to push the demon back, only to find himself pinned more firmly against the wall.

"If you yell for help, I'll kill you right here," Tatsumi-kage warned him. He stood still as firm hands removed his lab coat, then began on his shirt. Out of the corner of his eye, Watari saw 003 fly up to the demon, squawking furiously. Tatsumi-kage paused, raising a hand to hit the owl. She made a small noise and half fell, half flew over to the table, ruffling her feathers. Not wasting an opportunity, Watari shoved his knee rather awkwardly into the demon's stomach, making a dash for the door. The creature grabbed his upper arm painfully, pulling him to the floor. The blonde kicked and struggled, tearing his shirt in the process.

"You're going to regret this," the demon growled, hitting him across the face with a closed fist. The scientist lay stunned for a fraction of a second, but it was enough time for the demon to crawl atop him, effectively pinning him. A heavy sense of dread settled in the blonde's stomach. 'I guess this is it, then. Damn it, he was right...knowing that Seii is aware that this is happening _does_ make it hurt more...'

He looked up in surprise when Tatsumi-kage cried out. 003 fluttered by the demon, pecking sharply at his face. All the blood drained from Watari's face as the creature grabbed 003 by one of her wings, dangling her in the air. With a look of sheer malice, he crushed the tiny owl's wing, slinging her away with as much force as he could muster. The bird slammed into the wall with a sickening thud, bounced off and fell unmoving to the floor.

"**_NOOOO!!!_**" Watari screamed, shoving the demon off of him. He scrambled up and ran to 003, barely able to see past the burning tears in his eyes. Resisting the urge to pick her up, he leaned over her protectively. His shaking hands hovered over her unsurely, and he bit back a sob at the sight of small bones protruding from the owl's wing. Turning his upper body slowly, Watari stared in disgusted horror at the demon, who was now standing and watching the scene.

"How...how could you? How _could_ you?! How could you do this....?!" he screamed thickly, shoulders hunching over as he began to sob. Tatsumi-kage stared at him blankly for a moment.

"...'Taka? I..."

The blonde's eyes widened at the pained look that passed over his lover's face. The expression left as quickly as it had appeared, leaving the scientist slack-jawed.

"Seii? Seii..."

The demon narrowed his eyes, turning away sharply before teleporting away just as Tsuzuki, Wakaba, and Terazuma burst into the room.

"What happ- Oh my god..." Tsuzuki began, staring at the tiny owl in horror. Wakaba gasped, her hands covering her mouth as if she would be sick.

"Is she dead?" Terazuma asked bluntly, trying to hide the concern he felt.

Watari shook his head and shrugged.

"I...I don't know..." he whispered, wiping some of the tears from his eyes.

Terazuma shifted his weight, looking uncomfortable.

"We should get her to the infirmary or something..." he mumbled. Wakaba stepped forward to pick up the bird, but the scientist touched her hand gently. Taking a deep breath, he eased the owl into his palm, extremely careful not to jar her bloody wing. Tsuzuki leaned down and steadied Watari as he stood.

"C'mon," the older Shinigami said gently, guiding him from the room. Wakaba looked up at Terazuma, concern and pain filling her eyes. He hesitated, then wrapped an arm cautiously around her covered shoulder, turning off the light as they left the room.


	4. Chapter 4

Awesome, you guys actually listened to me and reviewed! Keep it up, and I'll be a very happy author. Let's see...what did I want to say? The chapters are short, but try to understand. Sometimes, there's a point in the story that you just _have_ to end a chapter at, otherwise it wouldn't make any sense or would ruin the suspense. Anyway, that's all I wanted to say, so let's get to the reviews:

AngstnoKami - Some of those answers can be found in this chapter. And for those that can't, well...eventually. Heh heh.

libby - But if he was gone now, what would poor little me write about? I suppose I could do a background fic on the bunny pictures Watari drew... But somehow I don't think anyone would like that.

miko - Ah, that's okay. I'm just glad you reviewed this time. I'm glad you like it!

Schatten Wolfendorf - I know, I'm a cruel, heartless bitch who tortures small animals. Well, only this once. When I was younger, I had such a hard time writing things where animals got hurt. In fact, I usually don't do that even now, but it just seemed to right for this fic. I'm glad it managed to get a reaction, just as I had hoped.

lethaL-Grace - Ya know, I agree about the mental rape thing. I'm not very good at writing physical action scenes, and I generally much prefer psychological torment. I guess I just wanted to do something a bit different than what I usually write, thus all the physical trauma. Have to get practice somehow! And as for your question, you know I can't answer that and ruin the suspense. Though I am tempted to...

Kata - (is crushed under weight of massive review) That's probably why Watari's doing it, because he knows he usually couldn't get away with it. Heh, what fun would I be if I didn't have the demon try and rape him? I mean, sure, there are other things I could do...bashed skull, dismemberment...but that's no fun. We sick, twisted bitches have to have our fun, ne. LOL. Kata, your reviews always make me smile.

JoniQuest - I would include Tatsumi's POV, but I think that would get pretty confusing. Wah, I love the website! So much stuff already...! I'm honored to be a part of it!

****

Chapter 4

"Do you want something to drink?" Wakaba asked. Watari looked up and shook his head weakly.

"Why won't they let me examine her?" he asked. The girl sat down next to him and sighed.

"We're all in agreement that it's best if the Gushoushin take care of her, since you're so upset right now."

He nodded, ending the conversation. Wakaba sat beside him for a minute more, then left. Tsuzuki took her place, wrapping an arm around his friend. The blonde shrugged him off, afraid that he would start sobbing if given any comfort.

"Where's Bon?" he asked.

"Still in the office... There were too many strong emotions for him to follow when you screamed. Did...did the demon do this?" Tsuzuki ventured.

Watari slumped over slightly. The events replayed in his mind like a bad dream. He could see himself lying on the floor, the demon hovering above him. He could see 003 attack the demon, then...he saw the hand reach up, grabbing the small owl. In the present, Watari winced, mentally skipping over the next part. He saw himself turn around and scream at the demon. He saw...

"Tsuzuki," he said softly. The other man looked at him expectantly. "After...after he...hurt her, I think..." He took a shuddering breath. "After, the look on his face...he went so pale. It was like...like...Seii was there." He sighed, wrapping his arms around his middle. "Does that help any?" he asked.

Tsuzuki smiled weakly, taking the blonde's hand and squeezing it.

"Yeah. I'll tell Hisoka and we'll come up with something. Any idea where the demon is right now?"

Watari shook his head. Tsuzuki stood, giving his friend one last, quick hug before leaving the infirmary.

* * *

Hisoka sat at his desk, resting his head heavily on the wooden top. He closed his eyes, trying to keep himself calm. The door creaked open, soft footsteps nearing him.

"Hey, you okay now 'Soka?"

The boy looked up wearily into the kind eyes of his partner.

"...What happened, exactly?" he asked, although he already had an idea.

Tsuzuki looked away, wringing his hands together.

"The demon hurt 003...really badly."

"Did he kill her?" Hisoka asked bluntly.

The older man shook his head.

"Fortunately for the demon, no. But she's in pretty bad shape right now. Oh, that reminds me. Watari said that right after it happened, he thinks...Tatsumi kinda peeked out past the demon, ya know?"

Hisoka bit his fingernail in contemplation.

"So...he thinks that Tatsumi-san's will temporarily overpowered the demon?"

Tsuzuki scratched his head.

"Uh, I guess that's what he meant."

The blonde frowned, mentally scanning everything they had gone over in the meeting.

"Then...when the demon upset Watari-san so badly, it got a strong enough reaction from Tatsumi-san that he forced his way to the surface..."

"Hm? So what does that mean?"

Hisoka sighed, giving his partner a long-suffering look.

"If I'm correct...it means that if we can cause a severe enough emotional reaction from Tatsumi-san, he may be able to cast the demon out himself."

"But how do we do that? I mean, it took something this bad to get him to show up for even a second!"

"I _know _that," Hisoka growled in irritation. "I'm trying to figure it out, okay?"

Tsuzuki pouted, giving the boy a sad look.

"I'm sorry, 'Soka. I just don't want to see that bastard hurt anyone else... He's already come after me and Watari, and I'm afraid he's going to try to hurt you next," he admitted softly. Hisoka stared at him in unguarded surprise.

"...Tsuzuki...I'll be fine. I can take care of myself," he mumbled, hiding the faint blush on his face. His partner smiled, but the worry in his eyes remained.

* * *

Watari sat nursing a warm cup of coffee, staring at 003's bandaged form. He sighed, forcing himself to look away. 'You're going to pay for this, demon. I don't care what I have to do, but nobody fucks with my baby. You have no idea what you're getting into. Just...have to figure out how to keep from hurting Seii.' He stood, walking over to the infirmary computer. Logging on, he accessed the database and began searching. 'Shadows...what opposes shadows?' His first thought was light, but he quickly dismissed it. 'No, light creates shadows and can only defeat them in...darkness. There we go, darkness. Darkness destroys shadows...I think. Well, at least I hope that's how it works. Makes sense to me...' He sat back, trying to relax the tense muscles in his shoulders and back. 'Guess I should talk to Tsuzuki and Bon about this... If we're gonna do something, we need to do it soon. I just wish we could figure out where he is right now...'

* * *

An hour later found Tsuzuki, Watari, and Hisoka gathered in the lab. The three men sipped coffee as they discussed possible solutions.

"I see where you're going with that idea, Watari, but...what kind of darkness could we use? I mean, it'd have to be something pretty powerful, ya know?"

The scientist nodded.

"Yeah, I can't figure that out, either. Shit, we could just force the demon out!"

Hisoka looked up as Tsuzuki prepared to argue.

"I was thinking that as well," the boy said quietly. "If we can find some way to get Tatsumi-san to force his way to the surface, the demon would have no choice but to leave the host. Then we could attack the demon and destroy him."

"But how are we supposed to force him out? We'd have to...I dunno...kill Watari to do that!" Tsuzuki exclaimed. Hisoka tilted his head, thinking.

"We can do that," he said. The other men turned to stare at him.

"It's just like when we tricked Saagatanasu. We made him think he had killed Hijiri. If we can make Tatsumi-san think the demon killed Watari-san, that should be enough to drive the demon out. We just have to make it convincing, without actually killing Watari-san."

"Well, I don't mind if I have to get hurt to pull it off. The biggest problem is going to be faking death when we can't predict what the demon's going to do. It has to look like the demon killed me, right? That's gonna be tough. Maybe I can come up with some sort of potion..." Watari started.

"Uh, why don't we just stick to ketchup for fake blood or something," Tsuzuki interjected frantically.

"Plus, we don't even know when he'll show up again," Hisoka added with a frown.

Watari sighed.

"Well, our plan has a lot of holes in it. But I'm serious about making a potion. If I can come up with something that can help us pull off the illusion of death..."

"As long as I don't have to drink it," Tsuzuki mumbled.

* * *

Tatsumi-kage stood in the shadows, watching one of the Shinigami as he headed home. The demon smirked.

"Perhaps it's time to make this...more interesting," he said. He followed his prey, careful to stay far enough back as to avoid detection. He waited until the Shinigami was inside the building before ascending the stairs. 'This one should be fairly simple to destroy,' the demon thought. 'In fact, I hope he doesn't bore me.' When he reached the apartment, Tatsumi-kage teleported inside.

* * *

Hisoka entered his apartment wearily, exhausted from the happenings of the previous few days. He shrugged off his coat and flung it on the couch. Grabbing a change of clothes from his bedroom, he headed to the bathroom for a well-deserved shower. 'As soon as I'm clean, I think I need some coffee,' he decided as he turned the water on, waiting for it to reach an agreeable temperature. Stripping, he stepped into the shower, pulling the curtain in place. 'It's been a month now...has anything really changed? I let him kiss me once or twice... I hope that's enough. It's not that I don't want to...kiss him...but...' He sighed, his shoulders slumping. In an instant, his eyes became alert, his muscles tense. 'I sense something...it feels like...Tatsumi-san, but it's not!' Leaving the shower running, he stepped out quietly, running the towel distractedly over his body once and throwing on his underwear and pants. 'He's definitely here...' Hisoka glanced around the bathroom quickly, determining that besides a toilet plunger, there was nothing that could double as a weapon. He took up post by the door, locking it. He felt the presence more strongly and froze.

"Did you truly believe that locking the door would keep me out?"

Hisoka jerked around, only to have a hand slam into him, gripping his throat firmly.

"I hope you don't think Tatsumi is going to save you from me," the demon said.

The boy struggled slightly, but was having trouble breathing.

"When I'm finished with you, your friends won't have the will to fight anymore," Tatsumi-kage purred.


	5. Chapter 5

Okay, I've decided that once this story is over, deadlines are obsolete. I'll get chapters done when I get them done, and it won't take me a month or more to do it! I'll take my time and hopefully, story quality will go up. To let you guys know, Mainframe helped me improve this chapter, as she is doing with chapter 6 (which really needs help, poor thing). She generously offered her time and effort to help me patch up some holes in the writing and improve on some things. I'm confident that the combined effort will show in this chapter. So thank you, Mainframe, for your contributions, suggestions, editing, support, ect. I hope everyone enjoys! Oh, and in case anyone cares, my website has moved. New link can be found in profile, yadda yadda.

libby - LOL. I should have had her say that, but Wakaba's just too nice...

Schatten Wolfendorf - Hmm...it may seem predictable, but I promise I had _no_ idea that Hisoka would be the next victim! I like to come up with the plot as I write instead of pre-planning everything, because I like to let it progress on its own. Thus, when I wrote that, I hadn't yet thought of having the demon go after Hisoka next. Sorry it turned out to be predictable! I'll have to remember that next time when I look over chapters before posting...

Watercolor-Dragon - You and Muraki Asato, I swear...you should start an Hisoka-hating club! LOL. You guys know I love you, and for some reason, I seem to be prone to Hisoka-torture...

Moonfairyhime - I'm glad! Thank you.

miko - Well, I just don't have the heart to kill 003. I'm too much of an animal-lover. I'd much rather kill humans...er, _write_ about killing humans. Yeah.

****

Chapter 5

"Watari, have you seen Hisoka anywhere?" Tsuzuki asked, arriving late to work yet again. The scientist tilted his head in thought.

"Hmm...nope. I don't think he's come in yet, actually. That's odd."

The older Shinigami's eyebrows furrowed with worry.

"But...'Soka's never late!"

Watari frowned.

"That's true...maybe someone should go check on him. Normally, we'd worry anyway, but since that demon's running around..."

Tsuzuki nodded.

"I'll call him. If he doesn't answer the phone, I'll go check on him. Better do it before Tatsumi...oh. Umm...that wasn't..."

Watari lowered his head and shrugged, pretending to look busy.

"I know, Tsuzuki. Just...just call him, would you?"

The older man hesitated, knowing that he had upset his friend. 'I never keep my mouth shut...' After a minute of awkward silence, Tsuzuki sighed and focused on the task at hand.

He picked up the phone, dialing his partner's number. He let it ring twice, then three times... 'Maybe he overslept,' he reasoned. It rang again. 'Maybe he's just...just busy. I bet he meant to call but forgot.' Tsuzuki felt his resolve falter as the phone rang again against his ear. 'What if he's not home? But where would he be this early...' Letting it ring once more, Tsuzuki finally forced himself to hang the phone up. 'Hisoka...' His eyes widened as he remembered the conversation they had had the day before.

_"I'm sorry, 'Soka. I just don't want to see that bastard hurt anyone else... He's already come after me and Watari, and I'm afraid he's going to try to hurt you next," he admitted softly. Hisoka stared at him in unguarded surprise._

"...Tsuzuki...I'll be fine. I can take care of myself."

Tsuzuki stood, jogging to the lab quickly.

"Watari! I'm going to find Hisoka. Tell Konoe-san if he gets mad, okay?"

The blonde looked up and frowned.

"I could go with you, you know. It might...might be dangerous..."

Feeling bad for his words earlier, the older man forced a smile and shook his head.

"I appreciate it, but you should stay here in case something comes up."

Watari hesitated, then nodded faintly.

"No problem. If anything happens, come back here and get me, though!"

* * *

It was quiet as Tsuzuki approached Hisoka's apartment. He tried the front door only to find it locked, glancing up at the still-drawn curtains in the windows. 'Maybe he's just sick,' he thought with worry. 'If that's the case, then I'm sorry. He can get mad at me later, but...' Taking a deep breath, Tsuzuki teleported into the boy's home. Pausing to allow his eyes to adjust to the darkness, he walked around the apartment. After a quick survey of the living room, he tried the kitchen, taking in the immaculate counter tops. 'Nothing out of the ordinary here...' Moving on, Tsuzuki paused at the edge of the hallway, opening the spare room Hisoka kept. He turned the light on, squinting against its harsh glare. Staring from the pale carpeting to the cream walls, he felt his heart speed up. 'No need to panic yet...maybe he's in his room. Probably just overslept, right?' Turning off the light and closing the door, he made his way swiftly to the boy's bedroom at the end of the hall. Opening the door, he walked quietly over to the small bed. 'Not here...why isn't he here?!' Turning on a lamp beside the bed, he got to his knees and peeked underneath the bed frame. Seeing nothing, Tsuzuki stalked over to the closet, yanking the door open. He shoved clothes out of the way, but found no sign of his partner. He turned off the lamp and backed out of the room, a steadily growing sense of dread gripping his heart. As he turned to the other side of the hallway, he noticed a beam of harsh light shining from under the bathroom door. Tsuzuki's heart sped up, his mouth going dry. He slowly approached the door, hesitating with his hand hovering over the knob. He mentally prepared himself for anything, flinging the door open and stepping back.

"Oh...my god..." he whispered, his face going white. He stared at the prone form of his partner, lying in a pool of blood and other fluids. Tsuzuki's breath left his lungs and he stumbled backward slightly, catching himself on the doorframe. 'So much blood...' he thought numbly, his wide eyes fixed on the broken body of his partner in work and life. The unforgiving florescent light shone down on the boy, highlighting the chalky color of his skin. His right arm was ripped open to the bone, still bent in a defensive angle. Tsuzuki made a pained noise, averting his eyes from the sight, only to cry out at what he saw next. Hisoka's abdomen had been torn open, his guts pulled out slightly, resting on the reddened tile. The blood was everywhere, marring the perfection of his porcelain skin and splattering the white walls like an obscene painting. Tsuzuki felt warm, shaking his head to try and rid himself of the feeling. He couldn't be sure, but...it looked like the boy's throat had also been cut.

"Hisoka," he called weakly, grasping his partner's cold shoulders. "We...we have to get you to the infirmary. I...I don't know what to do," he said as he began to shake with suppressed sobs. "You're gonna be okay, right? It'll be okay. Watari can fix it. Just...uh...I need to pick you up. I can't carry you...no, we can teleport. But...I need you to hold onto me. Can you do that, 'Soka? Please? Can't you...can't you help me out?" He eased closer to the body, cringing as he was forced to kneel in the blood. Reaching out, he ghosted a shaking finger over his partner's cheek, choking back a sob at the sight of Hisoka's dulled green eyes. He was afraid that when the boy woke up, he would be furious at Tsuzuki for entering his house without permission. He leaned down, carefully draping his arms over the boy's chest. Taking one last look at the bloody mess, he teleported back to the office.

* * *

"Holy shit, what happened?!" Watari cried, jumping up as Tsuzuki teleported in holding Hisoka's body. He ran to get the others, dragging Terazuma and the Gushoushin with him.

"Tsuzuki...back up. You're in the way," he ordered, trying to be professional. The older Shinigami looked up at him with a heartbreaking expression, but scooted away as told. Sighing, Watari knelt down, judging that it would be pretty stupid to move the boy in his current state. 'Shit...if he's still alive, he's gonna be in some serious pain.' He gently took Hisoka's left arm, checking his wrist for a pulse. It took him several minutes, but he finally felt a feather-light pulsation of circulating blood.

"He's alive, Tsuzuki. I can feel his pulse. It's very weak, but he's alive," he said, trying to soothe his best friend. The other man looked up, not having taken his eyes off his partner's fragile body. His frightened eyes shone briefly with a surge of hope before returning to the boy's figure. Watari sighed, focusing on his task. 'Tsuzuki...you can't do this to yourself. I mean, look at what a mess you are! You're covered in Bon's blood, for god's sake!' He stole a quick glance at Tsuzuki. 'You don't even look like yourself right now...' Watari let out a slow exhalation of breath, shaking his head forcefully to keep himself focused. Days of worrying about his own lover and searching vainly for information on the demon was beginning to take its toll on the blonde. He could barely think coherently enough to help Hisoka, let alone try to take care of Tsuzuki. Frowning deeply in frustration, he motioned for Wakaba. She stepped up to him nervously.

"Get him out of here," he hissed, pointing to Tsuzuki. She nodded, kneeling next to the man. The blonde watched her whisper in his ear for a minute, then stand, extending her hand. The man took it, allowing himself to be led away reluctantly.

* * *

It was several hours before Tsuzuki heard anything about his partner's condition. He sat in his office staring at the wall for most of that time, his mind wandering between his worry for Hisoka and his bloodlust for the demon. Wakaba had forced him to give her his trench coat for cleaning, but his pants and shirt were still covered with dried, flaking blood. He didn't even notice the coppery smell or the stiffness of the fabric, nor did he pay heed to the three cookies that Wakaba had covertly slipped onto his desk as she left. The image of Hisoka's torn body was burned into Tsuzuki's retinas, haunting him. 'Why didn't I keep an eye on him? I should have watched him more carefully. Hisoka...it's always my fault that you get hurt. Always my fault... I'll watch over you, and I'll help Tatsumi get rid of that demon. Please be okay, 'Soka.' Tsuzuki hung his head, trying to hold back the stinging tears that threatened to overwhelm him.

* * *

"How is he?" Wakaba asked anxiously. Watari smiled at her.

"He'll be okay...eventually. Those wounds were pretty serious. I can't tell if they were meant to kill or just to scare us. At any rate, he's gonna be out of commission for a while. Would you go tell Tsuzuki that Bon's all right? And no, he can't see him right now."

The girl nodded, running off. Watari sighed, easing himself into a chair in the infirmary. He looked from 003's sleeping figure to Hisoka's unconscious one and felt fresh anger bubbling inside. 'This is getting deadly... We've got to get rid of this demon soon. But with Bon injured, it's up to Tsuzuki and I to come up with a plan. I could ask Wakaba and Terazuma for help, but...it's too dangerous. I don't want to put them in this kind of danger. And Terazuma would murder me if anything happened to Wakaba, anyway. Great...the two people Seii cares most about. I wonder if the demon planned it that way? I still can't figure out who this demon is! He's not in any database or book.' He frowned, biting his lip. 'If we don't get rid of him soon, I bet he's gonna go after Tsuzuki next...' Glancing back at Hisoka, Watari stood, exiting the room.

* * *

The door opened, startling Tsuzuki. He looked up, then relaxed slightly.

"Watari..."

The blonde in question smiled, sitting atop the desk.

"Look, I realize you're pretty distracted right now, and I don't blame you. But we need to figure out what to do about this damn demon. I can't find any information about him, so we don't have anything to work with. If we don't stop him soon, he's gonna take us all down, Tsuzuki. Can you think clearly enough to help me formulate a plan? You're not doing Bon any good by sitting here and moping. If you want to protect him, what better way than going straight for the demon?"

The violet-eyed Shinigami stared at the floor for a moment.

"We should...get someone to guard Hisoka. If the two of us stay together, then when the demon shows up again, we can...um...attack him. I could call Suzaku - "

"No, no Shikigami. They're too powerful to use. We'd end up hurting Seii too badly," Watari interjected. "One of us could distract him, while the other sneaks up to incapacitate him."

"But that doesn't change the fact he'd still be possessing Tatsumi. As far as we can tell, the only way to solve that is to make Tatsumi force his own way out, right? How can we do that? It'll have to be something big."

Watari sighed in frustration. 'Wait...what was it I was thinking earlier? The two people Seii cares about most...' He didn't notice as the other man's brows furrowed in confusion.

"Tsuzuki! I have an idea. I'm not sure what reason we could come up with, but what if you attack me? If it looks like you killed me or something, I'm sure Seii would drive the demon out in his panic! We could...we could stage an argument! Pretend that all the crap the demon said turned us against each other. I could pretend to be jealous that Seii still loves you, and...um...you could accuse me of caring more about Seii's welfare than Hisoka's and say that's why Bon got hurt!"

Tsuzuki stared at his friend in shock for a moment. He started to open his mouth to ask what Watari had meant by that statement about Tatsumi's love, but worried that bringing it up would be too painful. He could plainly see the effects of everything that had happened, by the blonde's red-rimmed eyes and his shaking hands. 'It might be too much for him right now. Does he really think that...that Tatsumi...loves me? God, Watari...' Finally closing his mouth, he shrugged weakly.

"Well...um...that could work, I guess. We should probably work out the details soon then, huh?"

Watari paused, noticing his friend's reticence.

"...It would just be an act, Tsuzuki. I'm not jealous of you, please stop giving me that look. Just forget the details of what I said, okay? Why don't you come over to my place tonight? You can stay over and we can discuss it. In fact, you'd better pack a bag, because we should go ahead and stick together. We can ask Terazuma to watch over Bon. If necessary, I'm sure Konoe-san will be more than willing to order him to. Although I'd rather not piss Konoe-san off right now, since he's spending all his time covering our asses on this one. I just keep waiting for Enma to show up," he said lightly. The scientist hopped off the desk and headed to the door.

"I'm gonna go ask Mr. Grumpy Pants now." He paused when he reached the doorway, going back and hugging Tsuzuki tightly.

* * *

That night, they went to Watari's apartment straight from work. He turned on a small lamp beside the couch and sat down on the floor next to Tsuzuki.

"Okay, have you thought of anything yet?"

The older man sighed and shook his head.

"No...I've been too worried about Hisoka," he admitted. The blonde shrugged.

"Hm, I suspected you might be. Well, I've got it figured out. This," he said, pulling out a crumpled sheet of paper, "is our script. We have to be really convincing or this is gonna sink. Screaming, stomping feet, tears of rage...we've gotta make it real."

"How are you doing, really?" Tsuzuki asked. "This has got to be hard on you."

Watari shrugged uncomfortably.

"Uh, well, you know...I do what I have to. I mean, if I have to hurt Seii in order to save his ass, then I'll do it. Personal feelings have to be set aside for the good of all."

"You two have really gotten close, huh? The way you talk about him...even in such a serious situation... I'm glad, though. I'm glad he opened up enough to let someone in. And I'm glad you did the same. You can't fool me, Watari Yutaka. You're just like him in that regard. Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who doesn't hide..."

"Wrong. You hide too, Tsuzuki. You just hide different things than the rest of us. You put your vulnerabilities out there, while the rest of us hide ours. But we're getting off subject here. What I'm most worried about is the aftermath of this little fiasco."

"What do you mean?" Tsuzuki asked.

"How do you think Tatsumi Seiichiro, the proud secretary and powerful Kagetsukai, is going to feel when this is over? In his eyes, it will all be his fault. That's what the demon's counting on. He intends to destroy us, one way or another. By breaking Seii's spirit, he's keeping him from fighting the possession. What we have to do is _make_ him fight. We have to give Seii more of a reason to push back."


	6. Chapter 6

Wow. When I first wrote this chapter, it sucked. I mean, it really sucked. So I ask that you all take a moment and silently thank Mainframe for being brave enough not only to read my crap, but to offer suggestions that actually make it _worth_ reading. Now that I'm done with the self-deprecation, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Let me know if it makes you cry (that would make me very happy, sadist bitch that I am). And I promise, despite my ramblings below, I'm not crazy. Not yet. I just get hyper right before I post a chapter, then anxious. Right now I'm still at hyper.

lynndyre - Umm...umm...I never said he wouldn't be fine in a little while. Heh heh. Okay, that's a sad excuse. Honestly, I suppose it's for the dramatic element. I mean, even if he _will_ be fine shortly, being ripped apart has to hurt like hell.

libby - Man, I wish the arguments my friend and I have were fake. At least we haven't argued seriously in a while... I'm glad you like Watari so much! Everyone should own one. No, that wasn't supposed to make sense.

Moonfairyhime - Glad you liked it!

Triskell - I'm glad you think it's dark, since that was exactly what I was going for. I've really never written many dark things before, and it's a bit of a stretch from just simple angst.

Schatten Wolfendorf - I'm glad you liked it! I just _had_ to call Terazuma 'grumpy pants'. Couldn't help myself. Humor in a darkfic...how sad. And what you said about the last chapter didn't sound aggressive at all! It was a very good point, and it's odd how those things work when you come up with the plot as you write it. That method has it's good and bad points. Heh heh...I just looked at your author profile and it's all Spanish (duh). Go figure I took French in high school, huh.

Kata - Aww, I'm sorry...but it would get rather repetitive if someone tried to rape poor Watari in every chapter. The last chapter was only so good because Mainframe helped...sad, sad me isn't good at detail and tends to be lazy. Hmm...no, the demon didn't rape Hisoka. Sorry if that disappoints anyone. I _did_ briefly consider having the demon shred poor 'Soka's genitalia, but decided against it. Maybe some other time... I have a feeling you'll really like this chapter, my most lovely reader and friend! Wanna know something sad? I judge how good my chapters are based on your reviews, because you always give such great feedback!

****

Chapter 6

Watari sat in his lab impatiently, waiting for Tsuzuki to come back from his bathroom trip. They had all but memorized the 'script' the night before and felt confident that they could pull it off. 'I hope this works...if it doesn't, we won't have any choice but to hurt him.' Sighing, the blonde closed his eyes and leaned back farther in the chair. He frowned slightly, his thoughts drifting to a subject he had been avoiding. 'When this is over...what's going to happen? Things can't just go back to normal... Seii is going to be a wreck, that's for sure. He's going to blame himself for everything...not being strong enough to stop the demon, not being able to help his friends... I don't know how the hell I'm going to manage to convince him that he's blameless in this! Will he even listen to me? Gods, I hope he doesn't avoid me...' Watari sighed, checking his watch.

'How long does it take Tsuzuki in the bathroom?' the scientist thought, shivering slightly. He pulled the lab coat around closer around him, watching his breath come in puffs of mist. 'What's going on with the temperature? Is the heater broken?' he wondered.

"Guess who?" the demon whispered in his ear, flicking his tongue over the sensitive lobe.

Watari jerked, letting out a startled cry as he nearly jumped out of his chair. He stared at the demon with wide eyes, his heartbeat pulsing in his ears. Trying to calm himself, he furrowed his brows at the demon.

"What did you do to Tsuzuki?" he demanded, a cold rush of fear passing over him. Tatsumi-kage smirked and gave him a reproachful look.

"Why, nothing yet. I thought I would save him for last, since he _is_ more important to Tatsumi than you are."

The scientist's frown deepened, watching the demon carefully. The face was so familiar to him, but the look in those blue eyes was chilling. They held none of the warmth that Tatsumi possessed, none of the gentle concern the Kagetsukai tried so hard to keep hidden. 'Tsuzuki's okay right now, he'll be back soon,' he reminded himself. 'This isn't necessarily a bad situation. No, this can work in our favor...'

"You don't have to keep reminding me, I already know," he lied. The demon's smirk grew wider, a satisfied gleam in his cold eyes.

"It's nice to see that you've finally accepted reality."

Watari glared at the demon, feeling a pang of guilt at how the rehearsed argument would appear to his lover. 'I'm sorry Seii...I'll explain all this to you if it works,' he thought.

"It's not your damn business to begin with!"

Tatsumi-kage shrugged gracefully.

"Do tell me, how is that bird of yours doing?"

The blonde jumped out of his chair, shoving it backward in the process. He glared up at the demon, a feeling of hesitation briefly gripping him as his lover's body towered over him. Shaking of the feeling, Watari spoke.

"You son of a bitch! How dare you bring that up! You're gonna pay for hurting 003!" he shouted angrily. The demon took a step toward him but paused as Tsuzuki re-entered the lab.

"Watari...?" he asked hesitantly.

Watari pointed an accusing finger at Tatsumi-kage.

"I was telling this bastard that he's going to regret hurting 003!"

Tsuzuki was silent for a fraction of a second, then took a deep breath.

"Calm down, Watari. If you do anything, you'll hurt Tatsumi-san."

The scientist whirled to face his friend. 'All of a sudden I don't know if this will work...' he thought with a growing sense of dread. The importance of their performance weighed heavily on him, nearly causing the blonde to falter in his resolve.

"That's all you think about, isn't it?!" he cried. Tsuzuki blinked, then furrowed his brows.

"Someone has to! All you seem to care about is...is...that bird!" he shouted back, biting his lip when he saw Watari flinch.

"At least I'm not so pathetic that Seii had to find a new partner just to get away from me!" the blonde retorted, realizing with a small shock that his anger was only partly contrived.

"I..." Tsuzuki lowered his head slightly, unable to remember his line. He glanced briefly at the demon, who stood watching them with a bored look on his face. Taking a deep breath, the Shinigami improvised.

"If...if you're so special, then why did he love me instead?!"

Watari looked as if he had been struck. The words sunk into his heart like lead. He balled his fists up, shaking slightly.

"Did, Tsuzuki, did! He doesn't love you anymore, he loves me. And you can't stand that, can you? You're so used to everyone falling to their knees in front of you, and it kills you that your precious Tatsumi won't do that anymore, doesn't it?!"

The older man glanced nervously at the demon once more, beginning to panic. 'This isn't going right, but I can't stop now,' he thought in frustration. Gritting his teeth, Tsuzuki turned his eyes to his best friend.

"Maybe. Maybe he doesn't love me anymore...or maybe he's resigned himself to the fact that I love Hisoka, so he's settling for you," he whispered coldly.

"At least I didn't lead the one I love into Touda's flames!" the scientist screamed, his fury and pain boiling over.

The demon sighed.

"Would the two of you stop being so obvious? If you can recall, I have all of Tatsumi's memories, and thus know that this argument is fake," he growled. Watari winced, sparing a glance at Tsuzuki. The man refused to look him in the eye, instead glaring intensely at the demon.

"I probably shouldn't ask, but what are you going to do?" Watari asked.

Tatsumi-kage tilted his head in thought.

"As much as I enjoy seeing you so helpless, I'm afraid one of you is going to have to die. The question is, who? Should it be the current boyfriend or the old flame? Which would cause your Tatsumi more suffering? I wonder..."

"Isn't it enough that you hurt Hisoka?" Tsuzuki cried angrily.

The demon gave him a cold look.

"No, it isn't enough. It will never be enough. Nothing I do will ever be enough."

Watari stared at him thoughtfully, his mind racing.

"Why are you doing this? What made you so angry?"

The demon looked him in the eye, slight emotion stirring in the blue depths. The blonde's breath caught in his throat as he stared into the sapphire depths. He thought he glimpsed sadness, desperately trying to ascertain whether it belonged to the demon or his lover. The eyes blinked, opening again only anger in their depths. Watari felt a lump rise in his throat, as if something important had died inside of him.

"All you Shinigami ever think about is yourselves. So selfishly, you never consider how your actions affect others. You want to have everything but aren't willing to give anything up in return. You want to stay on Earth without the inevitability of dying, no matter if someone else has to die for you to accomplish that," the demon spat.

"What do you mean?" the scientist asked quietly.

"I loved someone once...a fellow demon. I loved her deeply, and one of you destroyed her."

"One of us personally?"

The demon pursed his lips, giving a tight nod of his head.

"But of course. Your precious Kagetsukai took her from me, filled her eyes with death. How would you feel if your friend and lover was murdered?!" the demon demanded, beginning to lose his temper.

"If he did something to outside of his job description to justify it, I would understand. It would hurt a lot, but he would have made his own decision," Watari replied.

"Really? Why don't we find out for certain." Tatsumi-kage turned to look at Tsuzuki for effect, causing the shadows on the walls to stir threateningly, splitting into tendrils that snaked across the room, poised to strike Tsuzuki. The blonde's eyes widened, his heartbeat pounding in his ears. 'This can't be happening,' he thought frantically. As Tatsumi-kage started to attack, Watari shoved the demon, gripping his arms to avoid falling. Tatsumi-kage growled, re-directing the shadows to the scientist's back.

"Watari!!" Tsuzuki screamed in horror, rushing forward in a vain attempt to stop the attack. He watched helplessly as the shadows reared back, ripping through Watari's back with lightening speed. The blonde gasped audibly as the shadows tore through him, ripping his insides apart and exiting through his abdomen. His amber eyes widened as he stared at the demon, his mouth opening and closing wordlessly. The pain crashed through him like a wave, his frame shuddering. With a cry, he released Tatsumi's jacket, his knees hitting the tiled floor with a sharp crack. Tsuzuki let out an anguished sob, rushing forward. He grasped the blonde's shoulders, burying his face in the silky blonde hair. Watari tried to speak, only to have blood gurgle out of his throat, dripping down his ashen skin to collect in the pool that was rapidly expanding around him. 'I...I can't breath,' the scientist realized dimly, struggling to stay awake through the pain. 'This...is this how it's going to end? I just...just wanted to see him smile at me again...' His body convulsed and he turned on his side, coughing up blood. He felt his consciousness slipping away. 'Please...' he thought desperately, 'please...Seii...' Hot tears fell unnoticed from his eyes and he took a shuddering breath before his chest was still. He never saw the look of horror in Tatsumi's eyes, the gleam of recognition beneath welling tears.

"Watari...wake up," Tsuzuki sobbed, shaking his friend's limp body. "Why..." he whispered, turning accusingly toward Tatsumi. His eyes widened at the sight of the Kagetsukai staring at the blonde, his face devoid of all color. Tsuzuki felt a small surge of hope fill him, and he cautiously spoke.

"T-Tatsumi-san...?" he ventured. He watched as the older man silently knelt down, the warm blood soaking into the knees of his dress pants. The Kagetsukai reached out, sliding his hand over his lover's golden hair, his fingertips grazing the pale cheek. He leaned forward, resting his forehead against the blonde's. Taking a shuddering breath, Tatsumi pressed his lips against Watari's, hoping against all hope that he would feel some sign of life. When he felt no breath mingle with his own, he moved slightly, lowering his face to the crook of the blonde's neck. He held the cold body of the man he loved, oblivious to the blood soaking into his own clothing.

Tsuzuki watched the scene painfully, not bothering to wipe away the tears that traveled down his cheeks. His mind flashed back to Hisoka, to seeing his partner's lifeless body laying on the cold, unforgiving bathroom tile. He knew, as much as he hated to think it, that the demon had not held back in his attack on Watari. And now, as Tsuzuki sat staring at the figures of his former partner and his best friend, he could see tears of despair traveling down Tatsumi's face. There was no sound, only quiet tears that broke his heart. In all the years he had known the Kagetsukai, he had never seen him cry. Tsuzuki knew, with a growing sense of dread, that something inside of Tatsumi had died.


	7. Chapter 7

Well, this is it, guys! The final chapter...ah, how bittersweet. First and foremost, I would once again like to thank Mainframe for her invaluable help with chapters 5 through 7. I have learned a lot from her advice, and hopefully my writing is somewhat improved now. To everyone who has read or reviewed this fic, thank you so much! Your support and encouragement means a great deal to me. I'm not sure what my next Yami project will be, or when, but I hope you'll be there to read it. Right now, I'm back to working on a GW fic, so stay tuned for that in the future. I hope you guys like this chapter and find it to be a fitting end to the story. Let me know what you think!

White Sherry - Ah, thank you!

Schatten Wolfendorf - LOL. I'm glad I managed to write the argument well. I was worried it might be too lame...

libby - Heh heh. I hope you like this one.

Triskell - I'm very happy to hear it was painful. Sorry this chapter took so long to get out - I wanted to make sure it was up to par.

Keruri - Wow. Thank you so much for the compliment! I'm very happy that you liked the chapter so much. I hope you enjoy this one equally.

Hunter - Thank you! It always gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling when people tell me I'm a good writer. Heh heh.

miko - Aww, you'll just have to read to see how it ends! But I do hope you like the ending.

Kara Angitia - ...you okay? (poke poke)

Kata - One of the biggest reasons I didn't do a Tatsumi POV thing in this fic is because I have a friend who did something similar in a fic, and people only whined about how much it confused them... Ah well.

Watercolor-Dragon - Thanks!

****

Chapter 7

Tatsumi sat in his office, staring at his desk. His eyes scanned over the budget report Watari had turned in right before everything occurred. He examined the sketchy bunny drawings, recognizable only for the fact that they had long, floppy ears and puffy, round tails. In his mind, the image of Watari's body lying still on the ground haunted him. He kept his jaw shut tightly, trying desperately to refrain from crying out in rage. He didn't bother to raise his head when someone knocked on the door softly.

"Tatsumi-san...?" Tsuzuki opened the door and stepped inside, closing it gently behind him. "Are you...are you okay?"

"...It's my fault," Tatsumi said numbly.

"How can it be your fault? He was protecting me!"

The older man shook his head.

"I should have been stronger...I should have fought harder to break free."

Tsuzuki furrowed his brow, taking a seat across the desk from his friend.

"Tatsumi-san...you tried your hardest. We all know that! You give your all in everything that you do. This demon was just too powerful!"

Tatsumi was unresponsive, too caught up in his guilt to listen to reason.

"...He's going to be okay, you know. It's a bad wound, but he's Shinigami," Tsuzuki pointed out. The older man looked at him sadly.

"It isn't just that...I did other things. I nearly killed 003 and...I tried to kill Kurosaki-kun. I did and said things that can't be taken back..."

"_Tatsumi_. We know that the demon lied to try to hurt us. None of us believe anything he said, not even for a moment. And it wasn't you doing all those things, it was him. No one blames you for any of it, I promise."

"What if...what if the things he said were true? What if I really feel that way? What if I really do..." Tatsumi asked, not looking the other man in his eyes. Tsuzuki bit his lip, a strong feeling of apprehension filling him.

"Tatsumi...only you can know for sure how you feel, but...you're happy now, aren't you? You can't doubt yourself because of that demon! Watari needs you now. He worked so hard to help you...are you just going to give up on him now? The past doesn't matter, you know," Tsuzuki said, smiling slightly.

"...I can't think about that now. What matters is that Kurosaki-kun and Yu- Watari-san get better."

Tsuzuki grinned, noticing the slip-up.

"Well look at that, I got you talking at least, right? Sitting here feeling guilty isn't going to help anyone. We need your strength right now." He stood, heading to the door. "I'm gonna go check on those two and we'll talk about the demon a little later," he said, leaving the room. Tatsumi sighed, glancing back down at the budget report.

* * *

Tsuzuki peered inside the infirmary, his hands lightly clasping the door as he pushed it open. His eyes rested on Watari's still figure, watching the man's chest rise and fall gently. Tsuzuki couldn't help but sigh in relief, letting his tense muscles relax slightly. Intending to stay only a short time, he turned to check on Hisoka and was startled when he met green eyes.

"Tsuzuki."

The older man's heart pounded in his chest as he found himself walking towards the boy's bed, sitting gingerly on the very edge.

"Are you okay? Does anything hurt? Do you want something to eat? Cookies always make me feel better when - "

"You're babbling," the boy chided. "And to answer your question, I'm fine."

Tsuzuki looked at him suspiciously, his eyes inspecting the small sliver of the boy's chest that peeked out from his shirt. Frowning, the older man reached forward, beginning to unbutton the shirt a bit. Hisoka's eyes widened, his cheeks flushing.

"Cut it out!" he growled, prying his partner's hands away. "I nearly die and all you can do is grope me!"

Tsuzuki let his hands fall, lowering his eyes. The sting of accusation in the boy's voice hurt him, even if it was understandable.

"I just wanted to make sure you're okay... You didn't see yourself before, Hisoka. It was... When I found you lying in the bathroom like that, I thought my heart was going to stop. I...I was so afraid I would lose you," he admitted, taking a shaky breath. "After seeing what he did to you, I guess...I guess I just needed to see for myself that you're all right."

Hisoka stared at his partner a moment, understanding dawning in his eyes. He could feel the desperation, the fear that Tsuzuki was experiencing. Wordlessly, the boy took his hand, guiding it gently under his shirt to rest at the junction of his now healed ribcage.

"I'm okay," he assured, a wistful smile gracing his features. Tsuzuki could feel the boy's heartbeat beneath the tips of his fingers, a soothing pulsation that seemed to melt away his worries. He wanted so badly to pull Hisoka into his arms, to hold him so tightly that their bodies melted into one another, but he hesitated. He didn't want to upset the boy, not after everything that had happened. Tsuzuki felt a flutter of anxiety in the pit of his stomach as he looked into his partner's eyes.

"Can...can I hug you?" he asked timidly.

Hisoka almost smiled at the beseeching tone.

"Of course." Immediately, he felt himself enveloped in the warmth of Tsuzuki's arms, the man's head buried against his neck. The boy reached his own arms out, wrapping them gently around his partner. He breathed in the man's scent, feeling a knot inside of him loosen and unravel. He sighed, relaxing in Tsuzuki's embrace.

"Tsuzuki?" he mumbled against the man's shoulder. His partner pulled back so he could look into green eyes.

"What is it?" he asked with obvious concern. Hisoka almost smiled at the feeling of warmth that accompanied the knowledge that someone cared about him.

"I thought you might want to know...Watari was awake earlier."

Tsuzuki's eyes widened in surprise. He turned to look at the bed on the other side of the room, watching the sleeping form of his best friend.

"When?" he asked without turning back around.

"An hour ago."

The older man gently disentangled himself from the embrace and stood, biting his lip as he looked down at his partner.

"I need to tell Tatsumi," he explained, his eyes pleading for understanding.

Hisoka nodded and gave an encouraging smile, watching as Tsuzuki left the room. He closed his eyes briefly, fighting a wave of dizziness that resulted from lack of food. He slung his legs over the side of the bed, carefully standing. Straightening his shirt, he tried not to think about Tsuzuki's hands against his skin or the warm shock that the touch evoked. 'I should get out of here,' he thought, glancing at Watari's prone form. 'I'll go home. I can get something to eat, get some sleep, maybe even some peace and quiet...and Tatsumi-san can talk to Watari-san privately.' Nodding his head as if reaffirming his decision, Hisoka left the infirmary, not glancing back as he closed the door.

* * *

Tatsumi stood in the hallway, halfway between his office and the infirmary. His breath was caught in his throat, his heart torn between taking a step forward and turning back around. He knew, thanks to Tsuzuki, that Watari was no longer unconscious. The knowledge helped to ease the devastating guilt he felt, but didn't assuage the fear. He wanted so badly to see his lover's face, to let the relief burn away the haunting image of the man's pale, lifeless form, soaked in blood that was spilt by his own hands. Tatsumi shuddered at the thought, shame gripping his heart and making him feel weak. He lowered his head, eyes fixed on his trembling hands. The thought that those very hands had caused so much pain tore through him like a knife. He couldn't escape the knowledge that he had hurt the people he cared most about with those hands, with his sharp words and taunting half-truths. The Kagetsukai shook his head, trying to dispel the images that refused to be banished. Once again, he stared down the hall, his heart pounding as if it would burst from his chest. 'I'm...I'm terrified,' he admitted to himself, 'but I have to see him. I have to see that he's all right.' Taking a pained step forward, he began the achingly slow trek to the infirmary.

* * *

The room was unnervingly silent as Tatsumi turned the door knob and pushed lightly. The silence reminded him of death, and the thought scared him more than he was willing to admit. Stepping inside, he prayed that Watari was still sleeping. He just needed to _see_ that his lover was alive, that his own hands hadn't murdered the scientist. As he turned to face the bed, he froze, his face paling.

"Seii."

He stared at the blonde with something akin to horror, his feet suddenly too heavy to move. Watari looked at him uncertainly, patting the bed next to him. When Tatsumi didn't move, his eyes took on an entreating look. The Kagetsukai felt his body move forward of its own accord, keeping a distance between their seated forms.

"What happened to the demon?" Watari asked immediately.

"He...I...I think I destroyed him," he responded quietly. "When...when he..." He paused, fighting back the bile that rose in his throat. "When I came back, my soul forced itself to the surface, and...the shadows inside of me...they tore him apart."

The blonde smiled weakly. He could feel his lover's trepidation, and it hurt him. He looked at Tatsumi for a minute, his anxiety increasing when the man refused to meet his gaze.

"Are you all right?" he asked. The Kagetsukai looked at him as if his was the most ridiculous question he had ever heard.

"I should be asking _you_ that," he replied. Watari grinned, his need to lighten the mood almost overpowering.

"Sure I'm fine, see?" he said, lifting up his shirt to expose his chest, the wound already healed. His expression faltered when Tatsumi winced and turned away. The blonde slowly lowered his shirt, his fingers toying with the seams. An awkward silence descended between them, each man desperately searching for the words that would make everything better, that would banish the fear and hesitancy they now felt.

"Watari...I'm sorry. I know...I know that doesn't change anything that happened, but...I'm sorry. I don't know what else to say," the secretary finally said, although it was a half-truth. He knew exactly what he wanted to say. He wanted to reassure his lover, to apologize for every little thing he had ever done to hurt Watari. He wanted to admit to the man that he was repulsed by himself, but he couldn't. The words refused to leave his throat. He watched the blonde and waited for either absolution or rejection.

"...Is that how things are now? You might as well call me Watari-_san_, then," he said quietly. Tatsumi frowned in confusion. Had he said that? He didn't even realize he had taken a more formal tone with the man. Watari's arms were wrapped protectively around his waist, and Tatsumi realized that he had yet again hurt the man he loved.

"I only seem to cause you pain," he said, voicing his thoughts quietly. The scientist looked at him, his honey hair resting against his cheek in waves, sunlight from the window making it glow like gold. The Kagetsukai felt his breath catch in his throat, a painful reminder of how much he wanted to hold Watari, to see the pain in his usually joyful eyes disappear.

"You're as bad as Tsuzuki," the blonde murmured. "Both of you just blame yourselves for everything that happens. Please don't do that right now, Seii."

"It _is_ my fault, Yutaka. I wasn't strong enough...I couldn't protect the people I care about," he mumbled, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment at the admittance. He could feel the little resolve he had left slipping away.

"Seii..." Watari tapped the man's knee, waiting until blue eyes met amber. "If I had been possessed, would you blame me for the things a demon forced me to do?"

Tatsumi frowned, crossing his arms across his chest. He wasn't dense; he could see where his lover was going with that question. Grudgingly, he shook his head.

"No..."

"Then why do you expect me to blame you?"

The Kagetsukai opened his mouth to speak, but he didn't know what to say. He realized that his worries were unfounded, yet the anxiety didn't ease up. The blonde bit his lip, satisfied at having made his point, but still troubled. He looked at Tatsumi, studying the man's chiseled features. He pictured in his mind all the times they had made love, recalled the feeling of comfort that came from simply lying in bed wrapped in Tatsumi's arms. He thought of the way his partner looked at him, the warmth and love that radiated from those blue eyes. But doubt nagged at him. Had he simply imagined the emotion he saw? Was he only seeing what he wanted to see? If he thought about it, Watari realized that it wasn't unlike the looks Tsuzuki often received. _He's settling for you_, his friend had said. Those words haunted the scientist, twisted the knife in his heart painfully.

"Do you love me?" he blurted out suddenly.

Tatsumi stared at him with open surprise for a moment.

"Of course I do," he responded firmly. Hesitating, he added "What is this about?"

The blonde shook his head, feeling childish and petty.

"Yutaka...is this about Tsuzuki?"

Watari jerked his head up as if he had been hit. The raw look in his eyes told the older man everything he needed to know.

"What was that fight about?" Tatsumi asked gently.

The blonde pulled his knees up, hugging them against his stomach.

"I came up with the idea that we could pretend to fight each other, maybe have Tsuzuki hurt me...I thought it might help bring you back. But...it turned into a real fight."

"I see..." The Kagetsukai sat in silent contemplation for a moment. He knew it was up to him to reassure Watari, to make him see how much he cared. "I love you both, you know. But I'm _in_ love with you - only you. Even if Tsuzuki didn't have Kurosaki-kun, I wouldn't even consider pursuing him. Please don't ever think that you're second to Tsuzuki," he said softly.

Watari's heart pounded, a feeling of warmth spreading inside of him and banishing some of the doubt he felt. He leaned forward slightly, grasping his partner's shoulder for support. His lips pressed against Tatsumi's in a chaste kiss.

"I love you," he whispered as he drew back.

The Kagetsukai looked at him uncertainly, his eyes questioning.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

The blonde smiled, patting the older man's shoulder.

"I already told you, I'm fine." He could still see the lingering doubt in Tatsumi's eyes, and he knew it would take time for things to go back to normal. 'I'll start by spiking his coffee with something tomorrow,' he decided. 'That'll prove to him that I'm okay.' He nodded to himself, happy to have something to work toward. Beside him, the Kagetsukai eyed him warily, recognizing that odd gleam in his amber eyes.

"I...I should go apologize to everyone," he mumbled, standing.

Watari shrugged, taking the opportunity to stretch out on the bed.

"If you feel like you have to. I think Bon went home, though. Come to think of it, you might as well wait until tomorrow..." He paused, biting his lip. "Seii? Could...could you tell Tsuzuki that I need to talk to him?"

Tatsumi looked down at his partner and nodded. He leaned over, planting a kiss on the top of the man's head before leaving.

* * *

Tsuzuki entered the infirmary, nervously shoving his hands into his pockets. Watari stood as he closed the door, standing beside the bed in awkward silence. They looked at each other, and the blonde rushed forward, throwing his arms around his friend's neck. Tsuzuki took a step backward, trying to keep them both balanced. He returned the gesture, holding the man tightly against him.

"I'm sorry," Watari mumbled. "I didn't mean what I said, and I was so stupid to be jealous..."

Tsuzuki sighed, resting his head on the blonde's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, too. I...I feel so bad for saying those things to you, and I really hope you know none of it's true. Tatsumi loves you, I know he does. He loves you more than anything, so don't doubt him, okay?"

Watari nodded, pulling back slightly and smiling.

"I really don't think we should try the whole fake fighting thing again," he said.

Tsuzuki chuckled, relieved that his friend forgave him.

"Ah, well...I should probably go find Hisoka... I should have guess he would leave so you and Tatsumi could talk privately."

Watari raised an eyebrow.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do," he warned jokingly.

The older man grinned, ushering the blonde back to the bed.

"Oh, _that's_ saying a lot. You should get some rest, okay? I'll come back later if 'Soka kicks me out of his house or something," Tsuzuki said, waiting until his friend had climbed into bed. He teleported out of the room, leaving the blonde alone. Watari sighed, pulling the sheets over his body. He could feel a headache forming behind his eyes, and his muscles were weak. He turned away from the window in an attempt to block out the sunlight. 'I guess everything's all right now,' he thought skeptically. 'I mean, I talked Seii out of blaming himself, right? And I made amends with Tsuzuki...so why do I still feel so bad? Maybe I'm just being paranoid. I'm sure if I get some rest, I'll feel fine when I wake up.' Closing his eyes, Watari let himself drift off, wrapped in the memory of his lover's arms.

* * *

Tatsumi looked down upon his lover's sleeping form. After he had checked on Watari earlier, he thought he would be satisfied by just seeing that the man was safe. He hadn't expected that he would need to see Watari again. Guilt and shame still gnawed at his heart, distracting him from his work. He sighed, perching himself gently on the edge of the bed. The serene look on the blonde's face made him smile softly, and he reached forward to brush a strand of hair away from Watari's cheek. His fingertips lingered on the soft skin, the need to touch his lover nearly overpowering. He hesitated briefly before leaning forward, his reserved nature almost getting the better of him as he kissed Watari's cheek softly. His heart sped up momentarily when he saw the man's eyelids flutter and open, his amber eyes drowsy and unfocused.

"What're you waking me for? I'm under doctor's orders to rest," the blonde mumbled. Tatsumi's eyebrow raised as he straightened up, feeling less than dignified.

"Doctor's orders?"

Watari gave a crooked smile.

"Mmhmm. Doctor Tsuzuki," he said, wiping his eyes and yawning.

The Kagetsukai chuckled softly, patting what he hoped was the scientist's hand under the sheet.

"For once, I agree completely with Tsuzuki. I apologize for waking you up. Why don't you try to rest some more and I'll see to it that your lab is locked up for the day. I hate to think of what might happen if someone were to go in there and start playing with chemicals..." He stood, bending over to kiss Watari's soft lips. 'Gods, how I've missed that feeling,' he thought as he made his way to the door. Glancing back to make sure the man was following his advice, Tatsumi turned off the lights and shut the door quietly.


End file.
